Fall and Rise

I will admit it I am hooked on Facebook. I like to play the games. Now I play 3 different farm games – Farmville, Farmtown and Farmpals. That is kind of embarrassing to admit. I also play the dice game called Farkle. I have a fish tank on Facebook and a theme park. I check each of these things on a daily basis. If I don’t the fish may die or my crops will wither. Now these games sound fun but what makes it embarrassing is that I am 48 years old. I really should be doing better things with my time but my favorite quote is “the time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time”. So for now I will continue to play these silly games on Facebook.

Last night we had our favorite meal, Mad Hatter Meatballs with whipped potatoes and grilled corn. This dinner is very special to me every time I make it. When I was a little girl my Mom gave me Betty Crocker’s Boy and Girl Cookbook and told me to make one recipe in the book just for her. I made an easy recipe of the Meatballs and she was so happy. The major ingredients in making the meatballs are the sauce they simmer in. A combination of Tomato Soup, Chicken with Rice Soup, onions, peppers and water. The meatballs are made of hamburger, evaporated milk, salt and pepper and take slices of bread and rip them all apart and add and roll. What a fun dinner to make and eat!

Scripture is quite clear in the idea that what binds the church of Jesus Christ together is a common creed, a common faith.  What binds a local church together, a federation or denomination together or the greater church together is the common confession that she can make.  If creeds divide, they are intended to divide truth from error.  The more we adhere to the truth, the more unified we will be. Creeds and confessions identify the church of Jesus Christ.  Far from confusing people, confessions and creeds allow churches to say to the world, “This is who we are.” We are not to be identified by the fact that we are all of a particular ethnic heritage, national culture or even a generically watered-down organizational structure—such things certainly confuse.  We need to find our identity in what we believe.  Confessions and creeds help us do that.